Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-01-10
The Choice Of Sunreme Judges.

The Choice OF Supreme Judges.
The Milwaukee Daily Journal of Jan.
has an article on the ages of the
Judges and in its editorial colum rs
gives it views of the present system of
re-electing supreme Judges. Chief JUS
tice Cole viii at the expiration of his
present term be "A years oil |; Judge
Lyon y; Judge Cassoday, the young
est, will be go; while Judge orion, if
reelected next spring as proposed, will
be 81. They receive a salary of $4,000
per year each, and the practice has been
to constantly re-elect them. The term
is now ten years. Prior to 1874, when
f. G Ryan was appointed chief justice
to succeed Luther S. Dixon, who re-
signed, and before the court was en-
larged from three to i've members, it
was customary to make partisan NOM
nations. but since the time of the en-
largement, when compromise was eff
fected in the legislature, and Judge
Orion, Democrat, and Judge Taylor,
Republican, were nominated for the two
places, the lawyers have simply Gale d
on each Judge TO run again when the
time arrived, and there has been no
opposition.
Now there is no doubt that the wishes
of the bar of the state should be given
weight, as the lawyers are presumed to
be better judges of the fitness of a can
didate for the place than those outside
the profession, but the precedent Of con
tinually re-electing the same judges on
their recommendation is virtually taking
the matter out Of the hands Of the people
and putting into the hands of the law
yers.
The public sentiment which demands
that the Judiciary shall be held above
mere partisanship will protect the cleo
ton of judges from party politics, and
the people will protect the Supreme
bench of this state from becoming SUI
perannuated, as the lawyers will not.
No lawyer cares to come out and OPP
pose the reelection of Judge, and
when asked to sign petition call
ing upon him to run, and seeing he
names of Others will sign rather than
be the one to object.
Concerning the"call' for Judge orion
the Journal saws: The call upon Judge
Orion by the members of the bar from
various portions of the state is flatter-
ing testimonial to his past services and
his possession of those traits of charac-
ter, which invite the friendship and con-
tidence of associates. 1t is to be highly
priced by the recipient and to be res
pected by all men. We doubt if one in
ten of the signers considered beyond
that.
How many of the members of the
state bar gave the question of the best
public service thought IN connection
with the testimonial to Judge orion?
How many regarded the fact that the
weight of age must be acknowledged in
alloting the burden of public affairs
upon individuals and that the man who
is giant with 60 years must stagger
with the cares of SOP
The Journal voices common public
sentiment in expressing only the kind
liest regard and the highest admiration
for Judge Orion. We believe it shares
an apprehension general even among
the attorneys, who feel compelled to ac-
quiesce in sustaining it, that the system
by which the supreme judges are select
ed is one which must be changed if
Wisconsin is not to have a superaunu-
ated court unequal TO the increasing
work given it.
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